Given the regularity with which Saina Nehwal has been making early exits, one is tempted to ask: Are we staring at the beginning of the end of a dream run, that at one point of time catapulted her to the World No 2 spot, and an almost permanent place in the top five? She is ranked eighth now and the signs are not very encouraging.


Saina Nehwal looks on during her singles bronze medal match at the 2012 London OlympicS. Pic/Getty Images  

The latest defeat to Japan's Eriko Hirose in the first round of the Singapore Open Super Series, showed that the Indian ace was outclassed. In the India Open Super Series too, Saina looked uncomfortable against Wang Yihan, making a tame quarter-final exit.